Frost-preventer for orchards



E. S. COBB.

FROST PREVENTER FOR ORCHARDS.

APPucmou FILED MAY 10, 192a.

11,411. 1 564. Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

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E. S. COBB. FROST PREVENTER FOR ORCHARDS. APPLICATION HLED MAY 10, 1020.

1,41 1,564. atented Apr. 4, 1922.

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62 s. 9% orngpa E. S. COBB.

FROST PBEVENTER FOR ORCHARDS.

APPLICATlON FILED MAY 10, I920. V

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

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FROST-PREVENTEE FUE @EUEARDS.

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. Application filed May 1c,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

{Be it known that l, EDWARD d. Cone, a citizen of'the United States, residing at Whittier, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Tmprovements in Frost-Preventers for Orchards, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for use in orchards, and the like, for preventing injury to vegetation therein 1n extremely hot or cold weather by causing circulation of air; and it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this character which is simple, easily assembled and operated and efl'ective.

The invention relates generally to apparatus of the character set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 1,317,959 issued to me Oct. 7, 1919, and to carry out the process which is the subject of my co-pending application entitled Process of preventing frost in orchards, etc, filed April 22nd, 1919, Serial No. 291,851.

A noteworthy feature of the present invention is the construction of the apparatus which makes it particularly effective and easily operated. By being effective and easily operated the apparatus uses only aminimum amount of fuel, power, and labor and is therefore efficient, practical, and of commercial value.

The apparatus is adapted to be located centrally in the orchard, or centrally in a subdivision of the orchard, and to direct a current, or currents, of air as the case may be, through the trees in the orchard thereby causing circulation of air. The apparatus does not direct a current of air in any one particular direction, or currents of air in any number of predetermined directions, but is provided with a rotating distributer which directs currents ,of air progressively over or through all parts of the orchard as itrevolves.

Other objects and features of the inven tion will be best understood from the following specification wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is, set forth in detail and throughout which reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus with parts broken away to show in section; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is plan section taken as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 2;

specification of Letters'Fatent.

Fatented Apr. 1-, 21922.

1926. Serial Ito. 380,163.

Fig. 1 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken as indicated by line t i on Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 5-5 on Fig. 4

Throughout the drawings the numeral 10 designates a vertical hollow columnar stack which is above, and into which connects, two flues 11. The flues 11 which extend outwardly and downwardly from the stack 10 in opposite directions, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, connect the fan pits, or chambers 12 with the stack 10. There is a blower or fan 13 arranged in each fan chamber 12, each of the fans 13 being mounted on a shaft 1 1 which extends between the fan chambers 12 and is carried in bearings 15 mounted on a suitable foundation 16. The stack 10 and the fines 11 are preferably constructed of wood, and the stack 10 is preferably round in cross sectional configuration while the fines 11 are octagonal in cross sectional configuration where they come together and connect into the stack 10, and are rectangular in cross sectional configuration at their lower ends where they connect into the fan chambers 12. The inner and outer walls 17 and 18 of the fan chambers 12 are flat vertical walls while the walls 19 between the end walls 17 and 18 are involute in shape as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The shaft 14 which carries the fans 13, has arranged on it between the fan chambers 12, a large pulley 20 and a small pulley 21 which carry belts 22 and 23 respectively. The belt-s 22 and 23 run over and are driven by pulleys 2 1 loosely carried on drive shaft 25. The drive shaft 25 is directly connected with a suitable motor 26 and is carried in suitable bearings 27. The hubs of the pulleys 24 are formed with clutch jaws .28 adapted to cooperate with the jaws of a clutch member 29 slidably keyed on the shaft 25. A suitable operating lever 30 is arranged in connection with the clutch member 29 so that it can be thrown to engage and drive either of the pulleys 24, or to a position where it does not engage either of the pulleys 24, as shown in Fig. 3. It will be understood how this driving connection between the shaft 25 and the shaft 14 makes it possible to drive the shaft 14: either through the large pulley 20 or the small pulley 21 by suitable shifting of the clutch member 29. Further it will be understood that with this driving arrangement the shaft 14 will be driven comparatively slow when it is driven through the large pulley 20, and comparatively fast when it is driven through the small pulley 21.

The fans 13'which may be of any suitable or desirable type draw air into the apparatus through suitable intake openings 31 in the outer walls 18 of the chamber 12. The air drawn into the chambers 12 by the fans 13 is directed upwardly through the fines 11 into the stack 10. In cold weather, when it is desirable to heat the air to be circulated by the apparatus, the furnaces 32 which are arranged in front of the intake opening 31 may be operated. The furnaces 32 are preferably constructed with combustion chambers 33 into which extend suitable oil burners 34, and have discharge openings 35 which face directly into the intake opening 31. The heated air and products of combustion from the furnaces 32 are effectively mixed with the unheated air, drawn into the chambers 12 from around the furnaces, by the action, of the fans 13 therefore the air which is delivered to the fines 11 and then to the stack 10 is of uniform or even temperature.

At the upper end of the stack 10 is mounted or arranged a distributor 36. In practice the stack and flue structure, above described is approximately forty feet high thereby causing the distributor to be above, or higher than, the trees in the orchard, as suming for example that the apparatus is being used in an orchard, for instance a citrus orchard. The distributor 36 is a structure having a cylindrical body 37, which fits over the upper end of the stack 10. and radially arranged hollow arms 38 from which the air is discharged. It will be understood that various numbers of arms 38 may be arranged in connection with the body 37 without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the shape of the body 37 and also that of the arms 38 may be aried to suit various conditions and under various circumstances. In the particular form of distributor shown in the drawing there are two arms .38 arranged diametrically opposite each other for sake of balance The tops 40 0f the arms 38 slope outwardly and downwardly so as to direct the air outwardly and downwardly from the arms 33 through their open ends and lower side. It will be noted in the drawings that the sides of the arms 38 converge toward the outer ends of the arms and that the lower portions 41 of the arms 38 also converge downwardly. Further. the lower portions 41 are formed or shaped so that the openings in the under sides of the arms are wider at the outer ends of the arms than they are at the inner ends of the arms. The ends and the under sides of the arms 38 are open and unrestricted to allow free passage of air outwardly and downwardly from the arms.

The action of the distributor 36 is substan tially the same as that of the current directing member described in my patent above referred to. To support the distributor 36 at the top of the stack 10 an annular liquid carrying tank 42 is supported at the upper end of the stack 10 to carry a float 43 carried on the lower end of body 37 of distributor 36. The tank 42 is U-shaped in section and is mounted around the upper portion of the stack 10 on a suitable frame or shelf 44. The tank is filled with enough liquid, say for instance oil, water, or other suitable liquid, to properly float the float 43. The float 43is preferably an annular structure U-shaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 5. The lower end of the body 37 preferably fits into the float 43 and it is preferred that suitable webs or braces 46 be arranged between the inner wall 47 and the outer wall 48 of the float. If a particularly heavy liqiiid is used in the tank 42 it may be found necessary or desirable to-weight the distributor 36, or the float 43, so that the float will extend a suflicient distance into the tank. This may be easily and conveniently done by merely weighting the float. \Vater may be advantageously used to weight the float. Suitable holes or apertures 49 are provided in the brace members 46 to allow liquid poured into the float 43 for weight, to become properly distributed around the float rather than be held between any two adjacent braces 46. r i To hold the float 43 and therefore the distributor 36 concentrically with the tank 42 and therefore the stack 10, the tank and float are connected by a king pin 50. The king pin 50 extends upwardly from a center plate 51 held concentrically with the tank 42 by brace rods 52, and extends through a center plate 53 supported concentrically with the float 43 by brace rods 54. To prevent the center plate 53 from being lifted from the king pin 50 a key is preferably arranged through the king pin 50 in the manner shown inFigs. 4 and 5. The brace rods 52 preferably extend through a flange 56 provided on the center plate 51 and hook into suitable brackets 57 secured to the tank42 and arranged in suitable slots or recesses 59 in the upper end of stack 10. Nuts 52 are screw threaded on the ends of the rods 52 which extend through the flange 56 making it possible to tighten the rods and to adjust the plate 51 to be concentric with the stack. The brace rods 54 extend through a flange 60 formed on the center plate and extend through the inner wall 47 and the lower portion of body 37. in the manner clearlv shown in Fig. 5. Nuts 54" are screw threaded on both ends of the rods 54 making it possible to tighten the rods and to adjust the plate 53 to be concentric with the float 43. It will be readily understood how the through the apparatus, water pipes 80,

terrace plates 51 and 53 may be supported concentrically with the tank 42 and float.43, respectively, thereby causing the float 53 to be held concentrically in the tank 42. It Wlll be understood that the king pin 50 and the center plates 51 and 53 do not support or carry any of the weight of the distributor or float but merely hold the float concentrically in the tank. The distributor 36 by being floated, or supported on liquid, in the manner just described is very easily rotated.

To rotate thedistributor 36' I prefer to arrange a cable or rope 62 around the upper portion of the outer wall 48 of float 43, over suitable guidepulleys 64 and 65 and over a drive pulley 66. The outer wall 48 of the float 43 is preferably made to extend considerable distance above the tank 42, as shown in the drawing, to carry the rope 62. The

guide pulleys 64 and 65 are carried by brackets 67 mounted on the outer wall 68 of tank 42 and are arranged so that the rope 62 extends completely around the wall 48 and thereby effectively grips it. Further, the guide pulley 64, which is the one that directs the rope 62 onto the wall 48, is slightly above the guide 'pulley 65, which is the one that receives the rope from the wall 48, thereby preventing the rope 62 from rubbing or touching at the point where it'crosses. The drive pulley 66 over which the rope 62 runs is carried on a shaft 70 supported by a suitable frame 71. A pulley 72 is carried on the shaft 70 to carry a belt 7 3 which runs over and is driven by a pulley '74 mounted on, shaft 14. It will readily be understood how the various pulleys in the drive between shaft 14 and the distributor 36 may be varied or proportioned so that the distributor is driven or rotated at the desired speed. The distributor upon being rotated causes the air, delivered by the.,fans 13, to be distributed outwardly and downwardly over' the orchard in all directions from the ap-- paratus.

In order to humidify the air which passes rovided with control valves 81 and'suitable nozzles 82 may be arranged so that the nozzles are between the discharges 35, of furnaces 32, and intakes 31 of chambers 12 as shown in Fig. 2., Water sprayed from the nozzles 82 is caught and carried by the air being drawn into the apparatus. Further, a spray pipe or distributor pipe 83 may be arranged to extend into the stack 10 and discharge water so that it will be caught and carried by the air passing through the stack. The pipe 83 may be supplied with water from a suitable supply pipe 84 and the flow of water to the )ipe 83 may be controlled by the valve 83. iither or both of these means may be employed to introduce moisture into the air passing through the apparatus to humidify it. By humidifying the air passing through the apparatus it is more effective due to the fact that its specific heat is. greatly increased, or in other words, its capacity to absorb heat is greatly increased.

The prime objects in arranging means for humidifying the air are first; to cool the air supply by reason of the heat taken therefrom to vaporize the water introduced in the air passages and second to drive out through the vegetation air so heavily charged with moisture (humidity) that its presence about the vegetation will retard or prevent evaporation from the leaves and fruit. In calm hot days in citrus culture, such conditions are exceedingly desirable from many important points of view.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, a liquid carrying receptacle, a. distributor rotatably floated ou the liquid in said receptacle and arranged a t the top of the stack to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly, and means for rotating the d151- tributor.

2. In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stark, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, a liquid carrying receptacle. a distributor rotatably floated on the liquid in said receptacle. and arranged at the top of the stack to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly, means for holding the distributor concentric with a predetermined axis, and means to rotate the distributor.

3. In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, an annular liquid carrying receptacle arranged near the top of the stack, a distributor rotatably floated on the liquid in said receptacle, and arranged at the top of the stack to'direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly, means for holding the distributor concentric with said receptacle, and means to rotate the distributor.

4. In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, an annular liquid carrying receptacle arranged near the top of the stack, an annular float carried on the liquid in said receptacle in rotatable relation to the receptacle, a distributor carried by the float to be at the top of the stack and to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly, means for holding the float concentrically with the receptacle, and means for rotating the float and distributor.

5. In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, a liquid carrying receptacle arranged near the top of and around the stack, a dis tributor rotatably floated on the liquid in the receptacle to be at the top of the stack, the distributor comprising a horizontally disposed arm and a body adapted to extend over the top of the stack, and means for rotating the distributor.

6.- In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, an annular liquid carrying receptacle arranged near the top of and around the stack, an annular float adapted to be arranged in the receptacle to be carried on the liquid therein and be rotatable relative to the receptacle and stack, a distributor carried on the float to be at the top of the stack, the distributor being adapted to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly and comprising horizontally disposed arms open at their ends and under sides, and a body adapted to extend clownwardly over the top of the stack and connect to the float, means for holding the float concentrically in the receptacle, and means for rotating the float and distributor.

7. In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, an annularliquid carrying receptacle arranged near the top of and around the stack, an annular float adapted to be arranged in the receptacle to be carried on the liquid therein and be'rotatable relative to the receptacle and stack, a distributor carried on the float to be at the top of the stack, the distributor being adapted to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly and comprising horizontally disposed arms open at their ends and under sides, and a body adapted to extend downwardly over the top of the stackand connect to the float, means for holding the float concentrically in the receptacle, said means comprising two plates one carried by the receptacle and the other carried by the distributor, and a pivot pin arranged to connect the two plates, and means for rota-ting the float and distributor.

8. In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, an annular liquid carrying receptacle arranged near the top of and around the stack, an annular float adapted to be arranged in the receptacle to be carried on the liquid therein and be rotatable relative to the receptacle and stack, a distributor carried on the float to be at the top of the stack, the distributor being adapted to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly and comprising horizontally disposed arms open at their ends and under side, and a body adapted to extend clownwardly over the top of the stack and connect to the float, means for holding the float concentrically in the receptacle, said means comprising a plate supported concentrically with the receptacle by rods, a plate supported concentrically with the float by rods, and a pivot pin connecting said plates, and means for rotating the float and distributor.

9. In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for drawing air into the stack and forcing it upwardly through the stack, means outside of the stack for supplying heated air at a point where it will be drawn into and forced upwardly through the stack by said first mentioned means, a distributor rotatably mounted at the top of the stack to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly, and means to rotate said distributor.

10. In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for heating air outside of the stack, means for drawing the air supplied by said heating means and unheated air into the stack to mix it and force it upwardly through the stack, a distributor rotatably mounted at the top of the stack to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly, and means to rotate said distributor.

11. In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, a plurality of flues connected into the lower portion of the stack, means outside of each flue for heating air, means in each flue to draw the air supplied by said heating means and unheated air into the flue and force it upwardly through the stack, means for humidifying the air which passes through the stack, an annular liquid carrying receptacle arranged near the top of and around the stack, an annular float adapted to be arranged in the receptacle and be carried on the liquid therein to be rotatable relative to the receptacle and stack, means for holding the float concentric with the receptacle, a distributor carried on the float to be at the top of the stack and direct such current of air outwardly from the stack, and downwardly, and means to rotate the float and distributor.

12. In a plantation rotecting apparatus of the character descri ed, a vertical stack,

means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, an annular liquid carrying receptacle arranged near the top of the stack, a distributor rotatably'floated on the liquid in said receptacle, and arranged at the top of the stack to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly.

13 In a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for circulating air upwardly through the stack, a liquid carrying receptacle, :1

terrace fioat carried on the liquid in the receptacle in rotatable relation to the stack, a dis tributor carried by the float at the top of the stack to direct the air outwardly and downwardly therefrom, and means for rotating the float and distributor.

l l. ln a plantation protecting apparatus or the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, a liquid carrying receptacle arranged near the top of and around the staclr, a distributor rotatably floated on the liquid in the receptacle to be at the top of the stack, and means for rotating the distributor.

ln a deviceof the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, a liquid carrying receptacle, a distributor rotatably floated on the liquid in said receptacle and arranged atthe top of the stack to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and down wardly, the distributor comprising a body extending over the top portion of the stack and to the receptacle and an arm in communication with the body for directing the air, and means for rotating the distributor.

16. ln a plantation protecting apparatus of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, a liquid carrying receptacle, a distributor rotatably floated on the liquid in said receptacle and arranged at the top of the stack to direct such current of air outwardly' from the stack and downwardly, means for holding the distributor concentric with a predetermined axis, said means com-.

prising two plates one stationaryrelative to the receptacle the other stationary relative to the distributor and a pin plvotally connecting the two plates, and means to rotate the distributor.

17. In a device of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, an annular liquid carrying receptacle, arranged around the stack, adistributor rotatably floated on the liquid in the receptacle, the distributor having an annular part extending to the receptacle and having a part at the top of the stack to direct air outwardly therefrom, and means for rotating the distributor.

18. in a device of the character described, a vertical stack, means for forcing air upwardly through the stack, an annularliquid carrying receptacle, a distributor rotatably floated on the liquid in the receptacle, the distributor having an annular part extending to the receptacle and having a part at the top of the stack to direct air outwardly and downwardly therefroim'and means for rotating the distributor.

19. in a device of the character described, a vertical stack, means for circulating air upwardly through the stack, a liquid carrying receptacle, a float carried on the liquid in the receptacle and adapted to be weighted, the float being carried on the liquid to be rotatable relative to the stack, a distributor carried by the float to be at the top of the stack to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly, and means for rotating the distributor,

20. In a device of the-character described, a vertical stack, means for circulating air upwardly through the stack, a liquid carrying receptacle, a float carried on the liquid in the receptacle to be rotatable relative to the stack, the float being adapted to carry liquid, a distributor'carried by the float to be at the top of the stack to direct such current of air outwardly from the stack and downwardly,and means for rotating the distributor.

In witness that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto subscribed my name this twenty-sixth day of April, 1920.

EDWARD S. COBB.

Witnesses:

S. E. HAMM, WM. PALMTAG. 

